Time to get mobile: How to connect with the fastest growing platform in the UK

The all-encompassing mobile generation:

Over half of the adult population in the UK* now own a smartphone which means, in real terms, there are currently 23 million adults whose first contact with your organisation could be through a mobile device. As this number rises (mobile is the fastest growing platform out there) it becomes clear that it’s essential for brands of all shapes and sizes to get mobile in order to stay competitive.

Smartphone ownership has evolved from being a male dominated, early-adopter market to one where 56% are now female and the smartphone has become a ubiquitous accessory for a broad 24 to 55 year old market.* The research evidence speaks for itself and mobile optimisation is no longer a ‘nice to have’ situation for brands and organisations to be in. Understanding and connecting on mobile platforms should now be a default consideration for all forward-thinking businesses.

This document has been compiled as an introductory guide to understanding the potential of mobile to your business.

*eDigital Research, January 2012

Must-have mobile: The Stats

The mobilisation of consumers, customers, clients and communities has been rapid over the past 18 months and evidence indicates that this trend will continue into the foreseeable future.

The huge range of related research activity can be overwhelming to digest and so we have compiled the essential facts and figures to highlight the opportunities on offer for those organisations ready to embrace the mobile platform:

Proliferation

“By 2013 more people will use their smartphones than PCs to get online.”

“The mobile-only audience is growing” Source: Cisco 2011.

Expectation

Users expect the same high level of experience on their mobile device as they do on their desktop and will shun sites that don’t deliver.

“74% of users say they’ll bounce after waiting 5 seconds or more for a mobile site to load.”

Democratisation

The mobile market is broad and smartphone users are buying and interacting more than ever before.

By gender:

By age:

Getting mobile: UK case studies

Whilst a large majority of companies (70%) have yet to launch a mobile version of their website, the success stories of those that have embraced the platform provide compelling evidence in favour of immediate mobilisation:

“Mobile is fundamental to the customer purchase journey. Already 6% of Kiddicare.com’s business is conducted via mobile. We think by the end of next year, 20% of our business will be through mobile.”

Simon Harrow, Technology Officer, Kiddicare.com

Drinkaware developed a mobile website, after figures showed a 200% increase in mobile phone traffic from 2010 to 2011. The new mobile site’s features are customised to switch between day and night content and localised information can be delivered directly to users.

“We have seen a sharp increase of over-50s traffic opting to search for home insurance via a smartphone device over the last year. Our mobile website enables potential customers to benefit from the highly competitive home and motor products we offer.”

Lee Hill, Online Campaign Manager, Castle Cover

British Airways optimised their emails for mobile devices resulting in open rates for mobile exceeding those for desktop users, in excess of 50% for iPhone and Android devices.

Mobile vs Desktop: Vive la différence!

As the case studies highlight, the motivation for most companies that have adopted a positive mobile strategy has not simply been about developing a mobile site that can be easily viewed on smartphone browsers. There are a range of key benefits to consider that go way beyond simply making your website appear correctly on mobile browsers.

Taking advantage of the capability of a smartphone whilst recognising that the whole browsing experience is different on a mobile device is the key to a successful mobile strategy for your website:

Prioritise content so users can focus on the information they need quickly and easily.

It’s a phone! Make sure users can click-to-call you directly through the mobile site.

Keep it local where possible and use GPS to personalise the experience – 95% of users search for local info.

Take advantage of touchscreen interactivity such as swiping to improve user experience.

Keep navigation and links simple and thumb-friendly for efficient browsing.

Recognise that users interact with their mobiles differently than with their PCs – 50% of mobile traffic occurs after 5pm.